


Deliverance

by schweet_heart



Series: Merlin Fic [148]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Finds Out About Merlin’s Magic (Merlin), Arthur is an idiot, BAMF Merlin, Canon Compliant, Canon Era, Canon-Typical Violence, Idiots in Love, M/M, Magic Revealed, Oblivious Arthur Pendragon, Protective Arthur, Protective Merlin, except not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-18 00:59:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16107461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schweet_heart/pseuds/schweet_heart
Summary: The wind dies away suddenly, taking with it all the small sounds of the forest: the birds, the rustling leaves. Arthur is too busy kneeing one of his captors in the groin to notice at first, but then the bandit goes down and the sound of his shout, too, is swallowed up, his howl of pain abruptly silenced.“Let them go.”Arthur stops struggling. He knows that voice.MMM 2018 (September) Prompt Day #8.





	Deliverance

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt Day 8: Thursday, September 27th**
> 
> Path I: Woods [[image](https://66.media.tumblr.com/09bfbe7da20483004d8f2ad31955d019/tumblr_pdng2yjyyn1w3cu63o1_1280.jpg)]  
> Path II: Your favourite appearance of badass.

 

The wind dies away suddenly, taking with it all the small sounds of the forest: the birds, the rustling leaves. Arthur is too busy kneeing one of his captors in the groin to notice at first, but then the bandit goes down and the sound of his shout, too, is swallowed up, his howl of pain abruptly silenced.

 

“Let them go.”

 

Arthur stops struggling. He knows that voice, although he has never heard it sound quite like that; it is so cold he expects to see frost on the ground between them, tendrils of ice creeping through the grass. A figure is walking towards them out of the mist, his eyes glowing, hand outstretched, and for a moment Arthur feels a flutter of panic lodge deep between his ribs. He looks so small. All it would take is for one of the bandits to see through the ruse, to be quick enough with an arrow or spear to take him out—

 

The brigands are backing away slowly.

 

“Forgive us, Emrys,” one of them says, bowing nervously from the waist before straightening up again quickly. If Arthur didn’t know better, he’d say that the man was too afraid to let Merlin out of his sight for more than a few seconds. “We weren’t aware—that is, we didn’t realise they were travelling with you.”

 

Arthur’s hands are free. He gets to his feet, rubbing at various scrapes and bruises, helping Lancelot to his feet beside him. Lance seems unfazed by this turn of events, as does Sir Gwaine, which is a relief; the last thing Arthur needs is to have his best men calling for Merlin’s head. Thankfully, they’re smart enough to recognise an escape plan when they see one.

 

“Leave this place,” Merlin says, and his voice is friendlier now, the golden light fading from his eyes. “Go peacefully and I will not harm you.”

 

“Of course, my lord.” Still bobbing his head, the leader of their attackers starts to move away. His men have already disappeared back into the forest. “Please accept our most humble—our sincerest—”

 

He is gone before he finishes the sentence.

 

Merlin stands in silence while the others walk towards him, balanced on the balls of his feet and looking strangely wary. His eyes are on Arthur, and when Arthur gets close enough, he is surprised to find that Merlin is trembling.

 

“Well done,” he says, clapping his manservant on the shoulder. “That was quick thinking.”

 

Merlin blinks. “It was?” he asks, sounding bewildered. Arthur wonders if he has sustained some kind of blow to the head. “You’re not…angry?”

 

“Why would I be angry? You just saved our lives.”

 

“By using magic,” Merlin points out, and Arthur rolls his eyes.

 

“Yes, yes, you were very convincing,” he says. “But you’re not nearly frightening enough to be a sorcerer.”

 

“You utter _prat_ ,” is all Merlin says, sagging into Arthur’s grip with an odd kind of relief, and Arthur is never quite sure why Lancelot laughs.

 


End file.
